After the War
by Samijhr
Summary: All students of Hogwarts have to repeat there last year of school, due to the disruption caused by Voldemort. What happens when Draco finds himself compelled to none other than Hermione Granger. Rated M for future sexual explicitness.
1. Chapter 1

Draco felt confused. He knew Granger was different. Ever since she punched him he knew she was unlike other girls, but it had become a lot more obvious during the war. He remembered the night at the manor when Bellatrix had tortured her like it was yesterday. The look on her face. She had endured it; she had endured it without saying a word. The admiration he felt for her was to be expected. That he could deal with. It was the attraction that he couldn't stand. And the deep feeling of jealousy whenever he saw her with that gangly idiot Weasley. He couldn't help but think it should be him with her, kissing her that way.

He shook his head. It was wrong. They were too different. She was Granger for Merlin's sake. He had tormented her all throughout Hogwarts. If only he hadn't been so keen to live up to his father' expectations. He was a failure and it was all because of his stupid need to please.

...

Hermione was the only one of the Golden Trio to be happy back in classes. It had come as quite a shock to the three of them that they were required to finish their studies. Everyone was required to retake the last year. She gathered it was the ministries way of trying to get back on its feet and show its authority. Many arrests had been made following the war, not to mention the number of casualties, so many positions had to be refilled. The ministry, or what was left of it, didn't want half trained and often traumatised witches and wizards working for it, so it had enforced the need for full qualifications. Not that this surprised her. It made sense.

The school itself was in a shambles as well. It remained headmaster-less, with Professor McGonagol standing in only as a temp. The missing teachers were also temporarily replaced, by witches and wizards of different countries. They had set up a system in which teachers from all over the world could gain experience teaching in Hogwarts while needed. They all knew Voldemort would not have stopped at Britain and were grateful for his demise. It was also a good learning opportunity.

Those repeating year 7, most of which had played important roles within the war, were seen as being more independent and were therefore given more time to themselves. They were put into study groups in order to support and help each other throughout the year, completely many research projects on their own. It was at one of these meeting that she sat musing.

'Hermione?'

She looked up surprised. Apparently she had missed a large quantity of their discussion. She apologised and returned her attention to the rest of the people in the room they had been assigned. She had been grouped with Harry, Padma and Draco. In an attempt to make students less prejudice they had decided mixing houses was the best option. It had worked well so far, with only a few disputes. The time she had away from Ron was also welcomed.

'We were just saying how we should get some lunch and return to this later in the library,' Harry said with a slight look of concern on his face.

'Oh, yes of course.' She smiled lightly and gathered her stuff.

...

In the great hall Draco found himself peering across the table at Hermione. Her curls had lost their frizz and her face was now that of a woman rather than a girl. He had noticed himself looking less young over the past months as well, his features more sharp and angular than before. He was still slim but his muscles were definitely leaner. All of them had grown up so much over the last year. Hermione met his gaze and smiled. He felt the corners of his lips full up slightly in return until he spotted the redhead sat close next to her. He leaned in to peck her cheek and Draco turned away, disgusted. He couldn't stand the little rat.

'Hey Draco, what's up?'

He turned to look at Pansy, muttering that he was fine. He stood slowly, declaring his need to visit the library and left.

Once there he sat alone, musing for a short while, paying no attention to the book he had picked out. The group work they were currently focusing on was based around a rather complicated potion they had to eventually brew for their final exam. It required four months to make, so they had to perfect their techniques now in order to complete it in time. He was sure they could do it. All four of them were fairly smart, so he had no worry about that. It was all the close contact he had with Hermione that was driving him insane. He didn't want to develop feelings for her.

Despite this he smiled as he saw her walk in the room. She hadn't spotted him yet and he felt his eyes drift down her body, taking in her gentle curves and graceful posture. Her walk had always been confident and purposeful, like she always knew what she was doing. Today he noticed her falter a little and wondered why.

She finally found her way to his table, and smiled. 'Hey Draco, I didn't expect you to be early.'

'Keeping ahead of the game as always. Where's Potter?'

'Oh, he's coming soon. Just spending lunch with Ginny.'

'Ah yes, the happy couple. I would have thought you'd stay with the other Weasley if he was.'

His chest fluttered as he saw her face fall temporarily. 'Oh, he's busy with study as well. And it's not like you can have an intelligent conversation with him when he's piling food in his mouth.'

'Not like you can have an intelligent conversation with him ever,' Draco muttered under his breath.

'What was that?'

'Oh, nothing. Just questioning your lovers intellect,' He smirked. 'Hey, I found a book that might help our research.' He was surprised when he didn't get chastised for his comment. Granger just let her gaze fall to the book left on the table unopened and pulled it towards her.


	2. Chapter 2

'Ah, Ron, don't you get it? It's not my fault we were put in different groups and it's definitely not my fault they put you with Pansy Parkinson.'

Ron grumbled. She knew she shouldn't have shouted at him but he had been moaning non-stop since they had been assigned. Pansy was enough reason to moan but it was still annoying. And it's not like there was anything she could do about it.

'I'm sorry, okay. We'll just find more things to do outside of class, I guess.'

'Yeah.' He still looked unhappy. She sighed and gave him a quick hug before standing up and wandering over to the kettle they had in the common room. Tea would be good right now. She had hoped Ron would have matured a bit over the last year, with the war and everything that had happened, but apparently not.

'I have to go soon. Another meeting. We're doing a trial run for the potion we have to brew, so I'll be a tad preoccupied. You should start on your Charms essay. I know you haven't done it yet and I know you'll leave it until the last minute if you don't start now.' Her reminder did nothing to improve his mood, but right now she didn't care. He had to learn.

…

The room they had for their group work was rather large. It had been used as a classroom beforehand, but they had arranged the desks for more interactive purposes, with a central desk that they could all sit around. The other desks were pushed to the side, with piles of borrowed books and odds and ends that they used for study. One desk was now covered in an array of vials and boxes of the different ingredients they would be using. Another was taken by a large cauldron. Hermione had charmed the table so that it was burn-resistant.

It was windowless, with the walls covered in a few worn tapestries and paintings. The soft glow from the various lamps dotted around was pleasant and it was mostly quiet, being separate from the busier areas of the castle. The old teacher's desk was mostly ignored, left at the far end of the classroom. It was this that Hermione was sat on. She knew she was early, but she had been chastised for doing too much of the work herself beforehand, so she waited for the others to arrive.

Draco slumped into the room, threw his bag on the floor and dropping into a seat before looking up and noticing her perched before him. He looked surprised before schooling his expression, turning it into a smirk.

'Early as always, Granger.'

'Keeping ahead of the game,' she smiled to herself. 'You seem to be on the dot more often than not as well these days. Something up?'

'Just making sure I get credit as well.'

'Oh course you'll get credit. You're just as smart as any of us.'

'Just as smart? Is that what you think?'

'Well, I was just being –'

'I know, I know. I was just teasing,' he smiled. 'So gullible, Granger.'

'Oh shush.'

He smirked again, and leaned down to his bag to retrieve something. Hermione leap down from her spot and joined him at their table.

'I don't see why we can't just go down to the dungeons for this. It would be a lot easier.'

'Unlike you, Draco, not all of us live in such close proximity. This classroom is roughly the same distance to the all the dorms, therefore it's fairer.'

Their chatter was interrupted by the entrance of Harry and Padma. Once they had all settled, they began the work of preparing the ingredients. Draco had seen to getting various supplies from the potions master, Professor Navi. He was one of the foreign substitutes and quite naïve when it came to lending out utensils. Good for the students, not so good for the schools inventory. Hermione did make Draco promise he would get everything back, and she was determined to make sure he did, however you never know when you're working in groups.

With the preparation complete, they set up the first stage of brewing. It was a simple initiation; however it required 8 hours to sit before you could do anything else to it. Since it would be gone midnight by this time, they agreed to attend to it in turns as pairs. Harry had quidditch training early the next morning and Padma insisted she was too tired, so it fell to Draco and Hermione. Not that she minded. They sat going over the processes they would have to complete later before calling it a day and leaving to get dinner.

…

Harry felt sorry for Ron. He wasn't taking being back at Hogwarts very well. He just didn't suit studying. After being away from it all for so long, he himself couldn't help but think it was a little tedious, yet he couldn't deny the fact that it was important. Plus, he couldn't go into proper Auror training without the knowledge he would gain in studying for his NEWTs.

He knew Ron was only here for Hermione. Their relationship was rocky at best, as it always had been. If she hadn't been in the equation, he would be out in the world, helping George with his joke shop or in some ministry position. They'd discussed it a few times. All Harry knew of his future was that he didn't want as much drama. And he wanted to be with Ginny.

He was glad he didn't have to attend to the potion tonight, silently grateful for his quidditch in the morning. He was no longer captain, having given that position to the next in line, but no one could deny him the position of seeker; not even himself. He was still the best in the school and looked forward to exhilaration of flying.

Going up to bed he found Ron sat alone. He could hear Seamus' snores coming from the corner, but other than that, no one else was present.

'What's up?'

Ron looked up slowly, a grim look on his face. 'I hate it. I hate still being here. We've done so much more than this. We are better than this.'

'What about quidditch in the morning?'

He smiled at that, just slightly. 'You know what I mean. I want to leave. I rarely get to see Hermione as it is. She's always studying. Not that I blame her. That's what she's built to do. But I dunno. I don't really wanna be here.'

'I know how you feel. It's just year.'

'One year is not going to change anything. I'm leaving mate. I've already talked to George. I can stay with him until I figure it out.'

Harry sat, considering what Ron had said. He understood him, really, but it was still scary to think about.

'What about us? What about Hermione?'

'Maybe she could do with the time away from me. She's away from me enough as it is. We'll still see each other. I guess.'

Harry was blank. He could hear the serenity in his voice. He'd obviously really thought about this. 'It's almost Christmas. Stay 'till then?'

'No point. And if I leave before I can help George with the Christmas stock.'

'I'm not talking you out of this, am I?'

'Afraid not,' Ron muttered. 'Only a matter of time.'

Silence stretched for a long time, with neither of them looking at each other. After a while Harry yawned. 'Bedtime,' he said, more to himself than to anyone else. He undressed slowly and sunk into his duvet. 'Have you told her?' he asked, a bit louder.

'Not yet.'

_Tomorrow is going to be a long day _Harry thought, before drifting to sleep.

AN/ Hopefully the chapters will get a bit longer the more I get into it. Please tell me what you think. Any constructive criticism is very much appreciated.


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